1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a vehicle seat side air bag assembly having an air bag guide for guiding an air bag for deployment during use.
2. Background Art
Vehicle seat components have previously included side air bag modules and conventionally include trim covers that have an air bag deployment seam to which an air bag upon inflation moves through a guide and through which the air bag is projected outwardly from within the seat to provide occupant protection. See, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,531 of William J. Paruszkiewicz et al.
Other prior art references noted during an investigation conducted for this invention include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,498,030 Hill et al.; 5,678,853 Maly; 5,749,597 Saderholm; 5,810,389 Yamaji et al.; 5,816,610 Higashiura et al.; 5,860,673 Hasegawa et al.; 5,890,734 Saderholm; 5,927,749 Homier et al.; 5,938,232 Kalandek et al.; 5,967,546 Homier et al.; 5,967,603 Genders et al.; 5,992,878 Narita et al.; 5,997,032 Miwa et al.; 6,045,151 Wu; 6,206,410 Brown; 6,237,934 Harrell et al.; 6,254,122 Wu et al.; 6,352,304 Sorgenfrei; 6,467,801 Preisler et al.; and 6,588,838 Dick, Jr. et al; and also see PCT publication WO 00/09365 A1.